{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn22.85/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn22.85","id":"suttacentral_sn22.85","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn22.85/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At one time Venerable S\u0101riputta was staying near S\u0101vatth\u012b in Jeta\u2019s Grove, An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika\u2019s monastery. Now at that time a mendicant named Yamaka had the following harmful misconception: \u201cAs I understand the Buddha\u2019s teaching, a mendicant who has ended the defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and doesn\u2019t exist after death.\u201d Several mendicants heard this rumour. They went to Yamaka and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side and said to him, \u201cIs it really true, Reverend Yamaka, that you have such a harmful misconception: \u2018As I understand the Buddha\u2019s teaching, a mendicant who has ended the defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and doesn\u2019t exist after death\u2019?\u201d \u201cYes, reverends, that\u2019s how I understand the Buddha\u2019s teaching.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t say that, Yamaka! Don\u2019t misrepresent the Buddha, for misrepresentation of the Buddha is not good. And the Buddha would not say that.\u201d But even though admonished by those mendicants, Yamaka obstinately stuck to that misconception and insisted on stating it. When those mendicants were unable to dissuade Yamaka from that misconception, they rose from their seats and went to see Venerable S\u0101riputta. They told him what had happened, and said, \u201cMay Venerable S\u0101riputta please go to the mendicant Yamaka out of sympathy.\u201d S\u0101riputta consented with silence. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable S\u0101riputta came out of retreat, went to Venerable Yamaka and exchanged greetings with him. Seated to one side he said to Yamaka: \u201cIs it really true, Reverend Yamaka, that you have such a harmful misconception: \u2018As I understand the Buddha\u2019s teaching, a mendicant who has ended the defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and doesn\u2019t exist after death\u2019?\u201d \u201cYes, reverend, that\u2019s how I understand the Buddha\u2019s teaching.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, Yamaka? Is form permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, reverend.\u201d \u201cIs feeling \u2026\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 perception \u2026\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 choices \u2026\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 consciousness permanent or impermanent?\u201d \u201cImpermanent, reverend.\u201d \u201cSo you should truly see \u2026 Seeing this \u2026 They understand: \u2018\u2026 there is nothing further for this place.\u2019 What do you think, Reverend Yamaka? Do you consider that the label \u2018realized one\u2019 applies to form?\u201d \u201cNo, reverend.\u201d \u201cDo you consider that the label \u2018realized one\u2019 applies to feeling?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 perception?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 choices?\u201d \u2026 \u201c \u2026 consciousness?\u201d \u201cNo, reverend.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, Reverend Yamaka? Do you consider that the label \u2018realized one\u2019 applies in relation to form?\u201d \u201cNo, reverend.\u201d \u201cDo you consider that the label \u2018realized one\u2019 applies apart from form?\u201d \u201cNo, reverend.\u201d \u201cDo you consider that the label \u2018realized one\u2019 applies in relation to feeling?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 apart from feeling?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 in relation to perception?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 apart from perception?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 in relation to choices?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 apart from choices?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 in relation to consciousness?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 apart from consciousness?\u201d \u201cNo, reverend.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, Yamaka? Do you consider that the label \u2018realized one\u2019 applies to one who has form?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 feeling?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 perception?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 choices?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 consciousness?\u201d \u201cNo, reverend.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, Yamaka? Do you consider that the label \u2018realized one\u2019 applies to that one who is without form?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 feeling?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 perception?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 choices?\u201d \u2026 \u201c\u2026 consciousness?\u201d \u201cNo, reverend.\u201d \u201cIn that case, Reverend Yamaka, since a realized one is not found by you as a genuine fact in this very life, is it cogent for you to declare: \u2018As I understand the Buddha\u2019s teaching, a mendicant who has ended the defilements is annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and doesn\u2019t exist after death\u2019?\u201d \u201cReverend S\u0101riputta, in my ignorance, I used to have that misconception. But now that I\u2019ve heard the teaching from Venerable S\u0101riputta, I\u2019ve given up that misconception, and I\u2019ve comprehended the teaching.\u201d \u201cReverend Yamaka, suppose they were to ask you: \u2018When their body breaks up, after death, what happens to a perfected one, who has ended the defilements?\u2019 How would you answer?\u201d \u201cReverend, if they were to ask this, I\u2019d answer like this: \u2018Reverend, form is impermanent. What\u2019s impermanent is suffering. What\u2019s suffering has ceased and disappeared. Feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness is impermanent. What\u2019s impermanent is suffering. What\u2019s suffering has ceased and disappeared.\u2019 That\u2019s how I\u2019d answer such a question.\u201d \u201cGood, good, Reverend Yamaka! Well then, I shall give you a simile to make the meaning even clearer. Suppose there was a householder or householder\u2019s son who was rich, with a lot of money and great wealth, and a bodyguard for protection. Then along comes a person who wants to harm, injure, and threaten him, and take his life. They\u2019d think: \u2018This householder or householder\u2019s son is rich, with a lot of money and great wealth, and a bodyguard for protection. It won\u2019t be easy to take his life by force. Why don\u2019t I get close to him, then take his life?\u2019 So he goes up to that householder or householder\u2019s son and says: \u2018Sir, I would serve you.\u2019 They would serve that householder or householder\u2019s son. They\u2019d get up before him and go to bed after him, and be obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely. The householder or householder\u2019s son would consider them as a friend and companion, and come to trust them. But when that person realizes that they\u2019ve gained the trust of the householder or householder\u2019s son, then, when they know he\u2019s alone, they\u2019d take his life with a sharp knife. What do you think, Yamaka? When that person went to the householder or householder\u2019s son and offered to serve him, weren\u2019t they a killer then, though he didn\u2019t know that this was his killer? And when they got up before him and went to bed after him, being obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely, weren\u2019t they a killer then, though he didn\u2019t know that this was his killer? And when, knowing he was alone, they took his life with a sharp knife, weren\u2019t they a killer then, though he didn\u2019t know that this was his killer?\u201d \u201cYes, reverend.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They\u2019ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons. They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. They regard feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 They regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. They don\u2019t truly understand form\u2014which is impermanent\u2014as impermanent. They don\u2019t truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is impermanent\u2014as impermanent. They don\u2019t truly understand form\u2014which is suffering\u2014as suffering. They don\u2019t truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is suffering\u2014as suffering. They don\u2019t truly understand form\u2014which is not-self\u2014as not-self. They don\u2019t truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is not-self\u2014as not-self. They don\u2019t truly understand form\u2014which is conditioned\u2014as conditioned. They don\u2019t truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is conditioned\u2014as conditioned. They don\u2019t truly understand form\u2014which is a killer\u2014as a killer. They don\u2019t truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is a killer\u2014as a killer. They\u2019re attracted to form, grasp it, and fixate on the thought, \u2018my self\u2019. They\u2019re attracted to feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness, grasp it, and fixate on the thought, \u2018my self\u2019. And when you\u2019ve gotten involved with and grasped these five grasping aggregates, they lead to your lasting harm and suffering. A learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They\u2019ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons. They don\u2019t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. They don\u2019t regard feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. They truly understand form\u2014which is impermanent\u2014as impermanent. They truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is impermanent\u2014as impermanent. They truly understand form\u2014which is suffering\u2014as suffering. They truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is suffering\u2014as suffering. They truly understand form\u2014which is not-self\u2014as not-self. They truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is not-self\u2014as not-self. They truly understand form\u2014which is conditioned\u2014as conditioned. They truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is conditioned\u2014as conditioned. They truly understand form\u2014which is a killer\u2014as a killer. They truly understand feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness\u2014which is a killer\u2014as a killer. When it comes to form, they are not attracted, do not grasp, and do not fixate on the thought, \u2018my self\u2019. When it comes to feeling \u2026 When it comes to perception \u2026 When it comes to choices \u2026 When it comes to consciousness, they are not attracted, do not grasp, and do not fixate on the thought, \u2018my self\u2019. And when you\u2019re not attracted to and don\u2019t grasp these five grasping aggregates, they lead to your lasting welfare and happiness.\u201d \u201cReverend S\u0101riputta, this is how it is when you have such venerables as spiritual companions to advise and instruct you out of kindness and sympathy. And after hearing this teaching by Venerable S\u0101riputta, my mind is freed from the defilements by not grasping.\u201d","title":"With Yamaka","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1563}